A few months ago, we attended a big social event at my son's school. Naturally, there was a face painter there who seemed to be the biggest hit of the party judging from the long line of eager kids waiting. So there we were, in line waiting...and waiting...and waiting for my kids turn, but when it finally arrived, and they got their faces painted with the design they had chosen, I was no longer annoyed as they were just so thrilled with the results. We stayed and watched some of the other kids get their faces painted and they all were equally thrilled with their painted faces.

When we got home, my kids were very upset at the thought of having to wash their beautiful designs off. My daughter insisted that she would only wash her face if I could paint it back on her the next day so she could show her teacher at school. I had to tell her the truth...I have no idea how to create face painting designs like that..I wish I did!!

I started thinking about all the times I'd been to events over the years and how popular the face painting designs always are. They are always at carnivals, state fairs, school events, and various parties we've attended.

I decided to check the internet to see if I could find someone to teach me how to face paint, and I stumbled on to something even better. A downloadable e-book which offered easy step by step information to teach me to make face painting designs that my kids, or any kids would love.

To make a long story short, I got the book, got some supplies the next morning, and by the time my daughter came home from school I had gotten good enough to offer to paint her face with a couple of designs I had practiced. She was more than thrilled--she didn't want to wash them off (the ultimate compliment).

Since then, I practiced in my spare time and became good enough to be the face painter at my own daughter's birthday party last month. And that's not all, last week I volunteered my services at the neighborhood block party and the kids were lined up as soon as they saw me setting up!

Before starting your face painting , there are some basic steps you need to know.

What kind of face paint to use? It's important to use face paint that is specifically designed to be used on the skin. In the U.S. there are specific FDA guidelines which dictate which paints are acceptable to use on the skin. The most popular face paints are water based as they are the easiest to wash off and therefore a good choice for beginner face painters.

What Colors? It's best to start with a very simple palette of black, white and the primary colors. This will give you the freedom to mix two colors together to create other colors that you may need, such as mixing red and yellow to create orange. Once you've been face painting for awhile, you'll see which colors you use most and can then purchase those colors separately rather than continuing to mix them.

Which brushes are necessary? It's best to get a small assortment of brushes, small, medium and large as you need a large brush for big areas and a thin one for doing outlines and detail work.

Sanitary Issues? Never paint a child who has a cut, scrape or an obvious skin infection on their face. Also, stay away from painting a child with an eye infection or cold sore as these are very contagious infections.

Which designs? When beginning, make sure you have a selection of designs that children can choose from so that you avoid a request for something you may not be able to do yet. There are some basic designs that are very popular with girls and boys so having a few designs to pick from should be fine. Some popular girl designs are butterfly, bunny rabbit, rainbow, princess, and flowers. For boys you can offer reptile, spider, skull, tiger or dog.

Discover how to face paint like a pro with easy step-by-step face painting designs from "The Easy Face Painting Guide" . There are many popular face painting designs included, and the guide takes you by the hand and shows you exactly what to do each step along the way.

The most important thing to remember is to have fun! Even if you make a mistake, think of it as a learning experience, and remember that the kids probably won't even notice.